Cyclist Ellie Park on the mend after horror crash

East Kilbride cyclist Ellie Park broke her collarbone at an event in Glasgow

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WEST MAINS cyclist Ellie Park is on the mend after breaking her collarbone and elbow in a massive crash last month.

And the 15-year-old is determined to be back in the saddle as early as April.

Ellie, who is part of the Team GB Olympic Development programme, was involved in a nasty collision during training with British Cycling at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

She crashed into a falling rider and vaulted over her handlebars at the very top of the banking of the track and fell straight to the bottom of the track – “a bit like jumping out of your first floor window onto the ground below,” according to her dad Richard.

A short trip by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow determined Ellie had fractures on her collarbone and right elbow.

After a couple of days in hospital she left with her full right arm in plaster and a sling.

But the Duncanrig Secondary School pupil is aiming to be back in action in the next six weeks ahead of a big event in Perthshire on April 1-4.

Dad Richard said: “Luckily no operations were required as they were ‘good, clean breaks’ according to the doctors.

“Ellie has been working hard to recover and has been using some electrotherapy to speed up the healing process.

Ellie Park is on the GB Olympic Development Programme

“The consultant at the hospital rescanned Ellie’s collarbone last week and was impressed at how well she is recovering and the plan is to remove her cast and start physiotherapy to get movement back in the elbow.

“Ellie has been selected to ride for a Scottish Cycling West Team at the International Youth Tour of Scotland in April, so she is to be fit and healthy and almost fully recovered by then.

“This is now her main target as she performed well there last year with a third place in stage one and also a spell as the top Scottish rider.

“This is something Ellie is looking forward to and she has been on her turbo trainer a dozen or so times with sling in place to keep her legs turning.”